Crews fighting grassfire west of Ballarat

By ABC Victoria

The CFA is warning a fast-moving grassfire west of Ballarat has the potential to threaten lives and property, and is urging broader communities surrounding the Chepstowe area to put their bushfire survival plan in place.

The fire has burnt through at least 225 hectares, is travelling in a north easterly direction and is out of control.

VicRoads says the Western Highway has been closed between Ballarat and Ararat as a result of the fire, with a detour set up through Avoca on the Sunraysia Highway.

There are reports that a house has been lost in the fire, and Ambulance Victoria has been called to treat a firefighter who it believes has severely burned hands.

The CFA's Leigh Miezs says crews are focused on bringing the blaze under control as quickly as possible.

"Particularly as we've got some cooler temperatures at the minute and we do know that Friday is expected to be a spike day in terms of bad fire weather.

"We've got a number of aircraft and people on the ground," he says.

The CFA has issued an emergency warning for the Chepstowe-Pittong Road area in Chepstowe, and a watch and act warning for the communities of greater Chepstowe, Poverty Point, Snake Valley, Mortchup, Carngham Burrumbeet and Brewster, where the fire is expected to impact over the coming hours.

"The watch and act is for broader communities than the initial warnings," says Mr Miezs, "the fire is expected to impact in those areas between 5pm and 10pm tonight."